Doubutsu
by lovelyslickyvixen
Summary: Hotaru and Ruka have to work as a pair for their Science project. See what happens.. Pairing? Maybe a little Rukaru.. I suck at summaries..Enjoy!R&R! It was suppose to be a one-shot but..well..
1. Chapter 1

**Animal**

**Just something I wrote to get over my boredome. It's just a plain one. Enjoy. My first Gakuen Alice fic.**

**Oh, btw, I don't own Gakuen Alice.**

"Hey, Imai. Why does your invention usually assemble certain type of animal?"

The dark eyed genius turn to face her partner for the science project. She usually would pair up with her best friend, Mikan or occasionally with Yuu. But this time, she has no choice as their teacher has paired up all of the students and she is stuck with none other than the blonde bloke named Nogi Ruka.

Hotaru went back to her work without answering his question.

"Hey. Don't ignore me!"

Still no reply from his partner. Ruka sighed and continued scribbling some notes for their project.

"Not everyone can get all the animals to surround them and like them," Hotaru suddenly said.

Ruka was clueless for a while. "Oh, is that why you make your inventions to look like animals?" Ruka said, finally catching up. They both went back to work.

"I didn't know you like animals."

Again, there was no reply from his partner. Ruka's mind then started thinking about his best friend, Natsume. He wondered how Natsume is doing with his partner, Mikan.

"Don't worry, even if Natsume make some gesture to let Mikan know that he likes her, she wouldn't realize it," Hotaru said with her face still fixed to her notebook. "She's an idiot." She paused. "Plus, it's very unlikely for Natsume to do such thing."

Ruka stared at Hotaru with his eyebrow twitching. It was as if she just read his mind. And there he was thinking that Kokore Yomi was the only one in the elementary school with the ability to read others mind.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" Ruka asked.

"Lucky guess."

Ruka sweat dropped heavily.

"You know, you made me realize that I didn't know much about you even though we've been classmates for a while already."

"Really? I didn't realize doing so." Hotaru said, still nonchalantly.

"Well, as your classmate, I should at least know that you have the same interest as I do."

"I prefer to keep my profile a secret." Hotaru's face was still facing her notebook. " And I never said that I like animals."

Ruka just smiled at the cold but expected reply from his partner. Partner. His partner. 'No! Wait, not that kind of partner!' Ruka's face turned red.

"What's wrong with you?" Hotaru finally turn to face Ruka.

"Erm, nothing!" He answered and turns away.

"Good thing I've set a video camera in this room. A picture of you blushing could earn me at least 50 rabbits." Hotaru said with her normal tone.

"What?!" Ruka yelled. Surprised. "You have a camera on?!"

"A video camera." Hotaru made a remark.

Ruka stood up. " Where is it?! Turn it off!" Ruka command her while turning around to look for it.

"Stop wasting time. I need to finish this up quickly."

Ruka was still searching for the hidden recorder.

"I've camouflaged it very well. There's no use looking for it."

"Ruka didn't give up instantly. But later, He figured that his attempt was useless. He sighed and sat down. He glanced to his right.

Hotaru was holding his pet rabbit in her arm. She was smiling at his rabbit.

Ruka smiled at the scene going on in front of him. He went back to doing his work, letting Hotaru enjoy her short break with his rabbit.

They finally finished their work later that day. Ruka walked Hotaru to her room as she needed some help carrying all those stuff of hers.

"Just put it there. I'll arrange it later." Hotaru went to the door to give the rabbit a final pat before Ruka took it with him. Ruka watched her gesture.

"You can keep him with you tonight," Ruka said to Hotaru. "He likes you, I'm sure he'll behave."

"Thanks," Hotaru said while taking the rabbit from Ruka. "I'll name you Usagi." She said to the rabbit.

"But he already has a name. His name is.."

"Usagi." Hotaru cut Ruka's sentence.

"Fine.." Ruka said, giving in. He's too tired to argue. Plus he realize that it was pointless as he knows who will eventually win.

"Good night, Usagi. Behave yourself." He patted the pink rabbit and later turns to Hotaru. She was smiling, and for once, it's not a sinister smile. That made Ruka blush a little. "Good night, Imai." He said quickly and left.

"Good night."

**Written on Saturday, January 27th 07 at 0007 hour, haha..**

**R&R please!!!!!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.**

"Imai-san, why is Ruka's rabbit with you?" Anna asked as soon as Hotaru entered the class.

Hotaru did not answer forthwith. She continued walking to her place and seated herself before placing the rabbit she named Usagi on her table.

"He was having a sleepover with me last night." Hotaru finally answered.

"Ne?!" A brunette girl with a very loud voice suddenly appeared. "Hotaru, you were having a slumber party last night? Why didn't you invite me?! I'm your best friend remember?! How could you just left me out?!" The girl cried while shaking Hotaru.

_Baka, baka, baka._

The brunette who was also known as Mikan was blown to the other side of the classroom after being shot by Hotaru's Baka gun.

"Will you be quiet?" Hotaru said as she put down her gun. "I wasn't having a slumber party. Plus, even if I do, I would rather invite other people who are not as loud as you are."

"Oh, Hotaru! Don't treat me that way!" Mikan ran towards Hotaru's place, crying while attempting to get a hug from Hotaru. "Oh, Hotaru!"

_Baka, baka, baka._

"Stay away from me you idiot." Hotaru said in reply.

Mikan kept on trying to hug her bestfriend only to get the same response. She finally gave up. That was something normal for the two girls. They both know that no matter how harsh they treat one another, or to be more precise, no matter how harsh Hotaru acts towards Mikan, deep down they are still the best of friend.

While the two were busy with one another, Natsume entered the class along with Ruka. The classroom was noisier than usual.

"What's going on?" Ruka asked. His question received no answer, so he just continued making his way to his sit.

Anna and Nonoko approached Ruka at his place. "Um, Ruka-kun, Anna and I were wondering, is it ok for us to take your rabbit on a sleepover with us, just like Imai-san did?" Nonoko asked apprehensively.

"You lend your rabbit to the mad scientist?" Natsume asked his best friend.

Hotaru did not miss the term 'Mad Scientist' that Natsume just used to refer to her. In a matter of a few seconds, she was already firing the Baka gun at Natsume.

Natsume's good reflex helped him to dodge the first couple of shots, but the third one hit him right on the forehead.

"Na.Natsume. Calm down. Let's just leave it that way. It's even now, isn't it?" Yuu, acting as the class president, try to make peace between the two but Natsume seem to ignore every word Yuu's saying.

Natsume was about to use his Alice when Ruka stopped him.

"Natsume, please don't. Usagi is with her."

"Usagi?"

"Urm..that's my rabbit's name."

"I thought his name is.."

"Usagi." Hotaru interfered. She was already standing by Ruka's desk. "Thanks for lending. He was a good companion." She said as she return the rabbit to Ruka.

Natsume was back to being his quiet self.

"Er, no problem." Ruka answered.

"Hey, look! Ruka send his rabbit for a sleepover with Imai." A male classmate suddenly speaks out.

"Yeah," Mikan who has already stopped crying joined in. "And Hotaru even tied a ribbon to the rabbit. Isn't that cute? Ouch!" She was shot again. "What was that for?!"

"You are too loud. I can hardly hear myself thinking." Hotaru said without turning to look at Mikan.

"I guess Ruka did not have enough courage to go for a sleepover at Imai's himself so instead he sent his rabbit." Another voice was heard.

"Maybe he uses his rabbit as a spy so that he can figure out what Imai wears to bed." Someone else said.

"_Is that what I was thinking? No. No wait, maybe it's true. No it can't be" _Yomi said.

Ruka realized that the boy was reading his mind. "Step it or I'll get Piyo to step on you" He snapped at his classmate who possessed a mind reading Alice. Yomi back down.

"So it is true?!" Mikan asked.

Ruka's face turned red. His fan girls were giggling. They were anxious to know whether Ruka likes Hotaru or not. At the same time, they adored how cute Ruka looks with his face turning red.

_Baka, baka, baka._

Hotaru shot her Baka gun to the air. Everyone in the class went quiet and stared at her.

"Keep your voices down.

' She said. The others obeyed her order. Maybe because she of her gun, but it could also be because she was, after all, the class' vice president.

Yuu sighed in relief. He has been trying to do so but no one listened to him. Hotaru has always been better at handling such situations.

Ruka also sighed. He turned to Natsume who has been quiet for a while. Not that it was something weird to see him like that. Ruka glanced at Hotaru who was already back at her place and saw her glancing back at him. He smiled at her and she returned his smile.

"Doesn't she look sweet with a smile, Usagi-chan?"

**OK. That's it fornow. Finally this sequel is uploaded. Believe me not, I wrote this story on the January 27****th**** 2007. Yep, over a year ago. I've been busy since then.**

**Hope you enjoyed it. **

**I'm also working on some fics for the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Do check it out.**

**Comments and critiques are highly appreciated.**


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